Bulls 2013-14 Schedule: Month-by-Month Listings, Predictions and More

After a tough 2012-13 campaign in which this team competed and made the NBA playoffs but never had a chance to win a championship, the Bulls finally look poised to make a run in the East.

Superstar point guard Derrick Rose, who missed more than a year after tearing his ACL in the 2012 postseason, will be making his triumphant return during the preseason and should be 100 percent in time for the regular-season tip.

His presence makes all the difference, as it pushes Chicago from a token playoff squad to a serious contender that can challenge the Miami Heat for the conference title.

Let’s take a look at the entire schedule, via NBA.com, for the Bulls, highlight some of the marquee matchups, make a prediction on how they will fare in 2013-14 and more.

The Bulls open their highly anticipated 2013-14 campaign with a home showdown with the New York Knicks.

It’s going to be a must-see event that even the most casual of NBA observers will want to tune in to see, as D-Rose takes center stage with everything to prove and the weight of great expectations pressing down on his shoulders.

Should he succeed and put on a showing that suggests that he benefited from missing the entire 2012-13 season, he will almost instantly quiet all the detractors and doubters that were around every corner last year.

If he struggles and looks like he isn’t the same player that won the 2011 NBA MVP, there will be a barrage of fans and analysts asking if the 24-year-old star will ever go back to being his former self.

Which Rose will show up? There's only one way to find out, so don't miss this highly anticipated matchup, since the point guard's performance will set the tone for Chicago's entire season.

Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat

When: October 29

You better believe that this rivalry will be renewed in earnest when the Heat and Bulls take the floor on October 29.

Ever since the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals, when top-seeded Chicago fell to No. 2-seeded Miami, this has been one of the premier matchups in the NBA.

Although many thought the intensity would cool a bit without Rose on the floor last season, the Bulls managed to keep things interesting by snapping the Heat’s 27-game winning streak with a razor-thin lineup.

When the two clashed in the postseason, Chicago managed to steal Game 1 on the road before getting eliminated in five contests.

Don’t be surprised if these heated rivals trade blows and duke it out in one of the more exciting regular-season matchups of the NBA season.

Predicted 2013-14 Record for Chicago Bulls: 62-20

With or without Rose on the floor, the Bulls are one of the most consistent and reliable teams in the NBA.

With their floor general back in action and presumably at 100 percent, the squad is going to be in contention for the best record in the league.

This is a loaded lineup that has quality players at every position and a decent bench that can hold its own—with much credit due to head coach Tom Thibodeau’s brilliant defensive system.

Fans in the Windy City should be quite excited for what’s to come, as Rose’s return will have Chi-Town back on the map and talking championship in short order.